1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a roll stand for a pair of work rolls. The roll stand includes a housing with two side walls arranged on a common base plate. A cube-shaped receiving space which is open toward the top and toward two sides and is provided with guide surfaces for an insertable roll cassette is formed between the side walls.
2. Description of the Related Art
U.S. Pat. No. 4,763,505 discloses a roll stand with a roll changing unit which makes possible the mounting of rolls in different arrangements and dimensions and of different numbers of rolls. Pairs of horizontal support beams are inserted between vertical stand posts, wherein the support beams have guide grooves for horizontally insertable chocks which are engaged in a positively locking manner by the chocks with lateral slide elements which receive the roll bearings. For fitting the stand, for example, as a six-high stand, insertable intermediate support members are provided. This known roll stand is of relatively cumbersome and complicated construction.
EP-A-0 281 782 discloses a method of converting a roll stand from one type of roll stand to another type of roll stand with a different number of effective rolls, wherein, depending on the intended type of stand, the rolls are inserted as roll change units. In accordance with this method, the rolls are placed together with their chocks in guide members attached to the roll housing, wherein the rolls are inserted in a vertical arrangement between the back-up rolls in a positively locking manner and with the possibility of displacement along the roll axis, and wherein, for using the stand as a two-high stand, spacer members are placed between the chocks of the work rolls and the chocks of the back-up rolls.